Becoming a B Corp company is a rigorous process; how did you find it?

LH: Not going to lie, it was definitely detailed and thorough! It took us a lot of womanpower to get through all the questions. The certification was in sections, so we focused on a section at a time, which was really helpful.

VP: Although it was a challenge and a lengthy process, the structure of the B Impact Assessment is such that it enables you to approach the various aspects in more manageable sections.

Is there anything you learnt during the process that you’d like to pass on to other companies looking to go through the B Corp application?

VP: A lot of how we worked and operated as a business was already aligned with B Corp values, so a large part was therefore formalising and communicating this. As a starting point, review what you have in place already before tackling processes you may need to change.

LH: For me I felt starting early helped us, as well as being organised – gathering evidence as you go along is key. Any data we used to answer a question we kept in a folder, which meant when we came to the end, we had everything ready to go. This is important as you’ll need to back up everything you have said in the application.

What opportunities have been opened to the company since becoming a B Corp?

VP: The increasing awareness of B Corp has definitely had a positive impact on expanding the team.

LH: Becoming a B Corp has also helped build trust with clients and opened conversations with organisations that value responsible business. We found out there were two other B Corp companies in our building! It’s also boosted internal pride and engagement, as well has helping to attract talent.

VP: It has rubber-stamped us as a better business for clients wanting to work with us.

What opportunities have been opened to the company since becoming a B Corp?

LH: We’ve become more involved in sustainability conversations at our HQ, local community support and collaborative projects with other purpose-driven organisations. We hold monthly meets with the other B Corp companies in our building and we’ve hosted a number of events to raise awareness and partnered with local charities.

VP: Standout projects includes our community food bank with our neighbours in our office building and working on joint awareness and fundraising projects. Plus, we’ve stepped up our existing charitable fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support, our chosen charity that was selected by our whole team at the end of last year.

Has Fourwalls had to make any changes since becoming a B Corp?

VP: We’ve made lots of changes at a small level, such as being more aware of impact, but the most significant change would be the legal bit, updating all of our official information.

LH: We were already doing a lot, but we’ve refined our processes, strengthened documentation, and also formalised several policies to ensure we continue meeting the B Corps’ high standards, which has helped us be more accountable. The whole process backed up what we say we are doing.

B Corp companies are powerful and prove that together, we can do more. What are the company’s goals for the next 10 years? 

VP: As a B Corp it is our duty to continually improve and make a difference not only for our team and those we work with, but for our community and the environment.

LH: We are always trying to reduce our environmental impact, increase positive contributions to our communities, support employee wellbeing and growth, and work with clients and partners to share our values. We want to keep raising standards across everything we do – I think that’s always a good to goal to aim for, whether it’s a year ahead or 10 years in the future!